Coaching Fiction Writers for Bigger Cuts for Stronger Stories

by Ruth Shilling

As fiction coaches, we work with writers at every skill level—and one common struggle is an unwieldy word count, especially as they near the finish line. The word count can be about more than numbers. It can be a barrier when pursuing traditional publishing and a book needs to fit market expectations. Even still, when self-publishing higher page counts means increased printing costs.

More concerning, an inflated word count often signals deeper issues—something we recognize as coaches. But guiding a writer through that realization and helping them revise with confidence is where the real work begins. 

Cutting word count can be stressful and frustrating for a writer. They’ve likely done a lot of work to get where they are. That desire to be done and get the book out into the world can override the logic that it’s not ready. Our job as coaches is to help them publish their best book, not just help them finish it.

Helping Writers Face the Work

Helping them revise isn’t just about trimming words—it’s about shifting how they think about their story. Cutting down a manuscript by thousands of words is no small task. It’s daunting. And for the writer who has spent a considerable amount of time, energy, and emotion on creating the draft they hand you, asking them to cut significant portions can feel like betrayal. 

As coaches, we can’t make anyone think a certain way. Likewise, addressing this topic has the potential to send a writer who is deeply connected to their work and overwhelmed by the thought of revising yet again  into the fetal position. We don’t want to do that. 

Start With Mindset, Not the Manuscript

We do, however, want to help them see the benefits and reasons for cutting word count so their book will be better in the end. It doesn’t have to be dreadful work. 

Your approach to this matters. With the right support, you can help them see cutting not as destruction, but as refinement.

Remind them that cutting doesn’t mean failure. It’s a path to clarity. The goal isn’t to turn their manuscript into something that resembles a redacted government file—it’s to help their story shine brighter. And yes, it is possible to cut thousands of words without losing the heart of what they’ve written. Done well, it could make the story better. Help readers be more engaged.

One practical way to ease anxiety? Suggest they create a separate document for any significant cuts. That way, nothing feels permanently lost. They can revisit those words later—or repurpose them.

Strategies to Help Writers Cut Word Count Thoughtfully

Once the mindset work is underway, use these strategies to help guide your client through the revision process:

1. Jennie Nash’s Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns
This framework helps writers revise from the foundation up. Start with big-picture elements (stakes, goals, cause-and-effect trajectory) before moving to the more granular work. Use the hierarchy to ensure every piece of the manuscript serves the story.

As they’re working through the second tier of the hierarchy, you may address areas where they are telling, not showing. Showing is a great way to cut word count. With fewer words, it has the potential to convey more nuance than stating how the protagonist feels or how they react to a situation. It can communicate the weight of a situation so the reader feels it in their gut.

2. The As Is Outline
Another resource for coaching your clients to reduce their word count is to have them create an As Is Outline to help the client find unnecessary content, supplots, and side characters. Jennie addresses this in depth in the 3D Revision Masterclass. It allows the author, and you, to look at a much smaller scale of their story and pinpoint areas that need to be tightened up or cut.

3. Weigh the Cost and Benefit

Some clients will resist cutting content they love. Encourage them to consider: Does this element serve the protagonist’s arc? If not, could that beloved subplot or side character be the seed of a new, separate story? Help them think outside the box for solutions they’re amenable to—solutions that work for their story.

The process of cutting words doesn’t have to cause your client emotional stress. Employ these strategies to empower their word cutting journey to strengthen their stories. 

Want a Step-by-Step Guide You Can Share?

Want to give your clients a step-by-step tool they can use independently? I’ve created a free downloadable guidebook. 

It walks through everything we’ve discussed here, with specific revision steps and mindset tactics to help writers reduce word count without losing what matters most.

👉 [Download it here]. 

Feel free to share the link. I’d love to hear how it helps—reach out anytime at ruth@rseditorial.co